Muslim leaders harp on unity as Nigeria marks 62nd independence anniversary

By Bukola Hameed

Some Muslim leaders have emphasised the need for the country to remain united as Nigeria marks 62nd anniversary of its independence.

They made the call at a webinar programme tagged “Nigerian Day” organised by Forum of Nigerian Muslims , Home and Abroad to commemorate the 62nd Independence Day anniversary of the country.

The Chairman on the occasion who is also the Chairman, Board of Trustees of the forum, Professor Dawud Noibi said in the interest of the founding fathers of the nation, unity of the country should be seen as sacrosanct as existing diversity should be regarded ad strength and not weakness.

“As Nigerians, it is our duty to give thanks to Allah for enabling us to win our independence without bloodshed. We all know that many other nations won political freedom only after long-drawn wars and bloodshed. Therefore, all citizens of this great country of ours – including ourselves, the Muslims – must give thanks to Allah and contribute as much as we can to unity, peaceful coexistence and progress in the country.

This is even more so now that campaign by politicians has commenced ahead of the 2023 general elections. May Allah guide the efforts of our politicians and enable us to have free, fair and credible elections”.

“While cooperating appropriately with other Nigerians in fostering national unity, peaceful coexistence and progress, Nigerian Muslims also owe the binding duty of fostering unity among them”.

Professor Noibi who is also the former Executive Secretary, Muslim Ummah of Southwest Nigeria, MUSWEN decried the call for Yoruba nation as such secession is dangerous and would be counter productive.

“Those in the South West in particular, must beware of the evils in the agitation of those who want to carve Yorubaland out of Nigeria. We must all see this move as fraught with danger”.

“Firstly, the move is based on ethnic egotism and arrogance towards other ethnic nationalities in the country. And that challenges Allah’s injunctions in Qur’an 49:11 where He prohibits the practice of some people deriding others on grounds of ethnicity, for example. Allah in His wisdom created human beings in races and tribes but warns that no race or tribe should deride others, as the only mark of distinction in His sight is God-consciousness.

Our country is made up of hundreds of ethnic groups as Allah so willed. It is therefore in the interest of all that we regard our diversity as strength and not weakness”.

He maintained that the brain behind the agitation for Yoruba nation is to wage war against the Muslims in the Southwest region.

“Taking Yoruba people away from Nigeria is very dangerous to Muslims of Yoruba land. The agitators often let the cat out of the bag by referring to ‘Fulani Jihad’ in Yorubaland as one important reason for their secession attempt. Many of them see Islam as the religion of the Fulani and an intrusion into southern Nigeria and particularly Yoruba land.

To them, the strong Islamic identity in Northern Nigeria is a big morale booster for Muslims of the south, which was why the coup plotters of 1990 had announced that they had excised northern Nigerian away from the country, not knowing that the coup had failed. It is certain therefore that Muslims of Yorubaland will face greater marginalization, if not persecution, in an ‘Oodua Republic’ than they have been experiencing – may Allah forbid”.

“Above all, it is obvious from the above analysis that any Muslim of Yoruba extraction that supports the creation of an ‘Oodua Republic’ is inadvertently transferring their loyalty from Allah to ethnicity and ethnic warlords.”

Professor Noibi urged the advocate of secession to have a rethink as such step from experience is usually counter-productive.

“Secession is not easy to accomplish as the experiences of many countries have shown. Our past experience in this country is enough as warning. Moreover, any attempt to take Lagos, which is part of Yoruba land, away from Nigeria is bound to lead to war, which will surely be suicidal especially to the youth of Yorubaland”.

In a keynote address, a UK based Islamic scholar, Dr Imran Alawiye who also hammered on unity said anything contrary is against the injunctions of Allah.

He emphasized that the challenges Nigerians faced were as a result of bad leadership adding that leaders must be ready to account for their deeds in the sight of Allah.

” Leadership has qualifications. The major qualification is to be a servant leader. A leader must know that the position he is holding is a trust and he wil give the account of his stewardship to Allah on the day of judgement”.

Founder, Dawah and Guidance Bureau of Nigeria, Sheikh Haroun Ogbonnia-Ajah who also advocated continuous existence of Nigeria as an entity however lamented the plights of the Muslim minorities in the Southsouth and the Southeast of the country.

“Emerging from the Nigeria costly civil war, Muslims in the South East and South South of Nigeria have been victims of their environments. Recently, there have been killings of Muslims in Igboland by the so called unknown gunmen in Imo, Anambra, and Ebonyi States”.

“Despite the crucibles of the wicked civil war, Muslims continue to struggle for survival and with Islam growing in a high percentage on daily basis inspite the high level Islamaphobia in the South East and South South of Nigeria.The recent reversion to Islam is that of Court Registrar , Yusuf Ibe and Deputy Court Registrar Ibrahim Nwogu from Abia State”.

“Unity of the Ummah at this moment is so paramount to advance the course of Islam in the Nigeria Project, promote Islam and to defend and protect the interests of the Muslim minorities in Nigeria”.

In a goodwill message, the Chairman, Nigerian in Diaspora Commission, Dr Abike Dabiri who was represented by the Head, Media and Public Relations Unit in the Commission , Alhaji AbdurRahman Balogun lauded the forum for the Initiative of the programme marking the 62nd independence anniversary of Nigeria.

She enjoined the forum to be focused and operate within its aim and objectives.

Dr Dabiri urged individuals and Islamic organisations abroad to always obey the rules of engagement in their host countries and be active participants in any Nigerian project there.

” We have institutionalised it in such a way that any time the President travels abroad, a town hall meeting will be organised but Muslims will not show up in such gatherings “.
In a remark, former permanent delegation of the African Union to the United Nations, Ambassador Usman Sarki congratulated Nigerians on the occasion of the Independence day anniversary and lauded the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari for its efforts to repositioning the country.

Earlier, the General Coordinator, Forum of Nigerian Muslims, Home and Abroad, Sheikh Muhammadjamiu Abdulgafar said the programme was put together to give especially the Muslims in diaspora the opportunity to celebrate Nigeria’s Independence day anniversary and to rub minds on how the country could be better again.

He said the forum which was established more than a year ago has been able to connect Nigerian Muslims across the world with those at home view a view to uniting the Ummah.

“AlhamduliLlah, so far, we’re able to get ourselves together by adding at least a delegate from each Nigerian states, among them are chairmen of states Muslims’ communities, leaders of Islamic societies, some Muslim elites and eminent Islamic scholars and some Muslim professionals with international experience”.

“We also have at least a delegate each from different countries like USA, UK, KSA, China, UAE, Canada, New Zealand, Sudan, Egypt, Malaysia, German among others. The delegates are leaders of Nigerian Muslims communities, professionals and carrier builders.”

Other speakers including the former, President, Council of Nigerian Muslim Organizations, CNMO UK , Sheikh Garuba Sanni, a Chief Imam in New Zealand,
Sheikh AbdLateef Alabi, Dr Idris Agbabiaka from Saudi- Arabia, and the forum coordinators for Europe, North America and Africa, Alhaji Mahroof Adeoye, Alhaji AbdulHafeedh Muhammad and Dr Shamsudeen Bolatito respectively associated with Nigeria on the celebration of the Independence day anniversary and were optimistic that with good leadership, the country would be great again.